Portable fumigating apparatus



Aug. 25, 1942. COOK 2,293,931

PORTABLE FUMIGAfIING APPARATUS Filed Obt. 31, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. C. B. C 00K.

ATTORNEY.

25, 1942- c. B. cooK PORTABLE FUMIGATING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 31, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

\ ATTORNY.

ing device generally at I B.

Patented Aug. 25, 1942 UNITED STATS r OFFICE PORTABLE FUMIGATING APPARATUS Charles B. Cook, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application October 31, 1938, Serial No. 237,813

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in portable fumigating apparatus.

The general object of the invention is to provide a portable fumigating apparatus particularly adapted for fumigating the implements and material used by pickers of fruits.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable fumigating apparatus in which implements and materials used by fruit pickers are placed and fumigated as they are transported from one place to another.

A further object of the invention is to provide a portable fumigating apparatus associated with an internal combustion engine wherein the exhaust gases from the engine serve in the fumigation process.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an enclosed fumigating trailer drawn by a vehicle propelled by an internal combustion engine and wherein the exhaust gases from the engine serve in the fumigation process.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel sterilizing method.

Other objects and the advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved fumigating trailer showing it operatively coupled to a truck;

Fig. 2 is a rear View of the trailer;

Fig. 3 is a front View of the trailer;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section taken on line 11 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional detail of the exhaust conduit of the trailer.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters I have indicated my improved fumigat- In the accompanying drawings I have shown the fumigating device IU as mounted on four wheeled trailer l2 which includes a frame l3 and supporting wheels l4.

As shown in Fig. 1 the trailer 12 is adapted to be towed by a truck I5 which is propelled by a hydro-carbon engine It having an exhaust manifold l1 and an exhaust conduit l8 extending rearwardly therefrom.

The fumigating device [0 comprises a completely enclosed housing 26 having access thereto at the rear through a pair of hinged doors 2| as shown in Fig. 2. Adjacent the front of the housing 26 I provide a transverse vertical partition 22 and between the front of the housing and the partition 22 intermediate the height of the housing I provide a transverse horizontal partition 23 which forms the bottom of a tank compartment 24 (see Fig. 4). At one side of the center of the housing 23 I provide a vertical partition 25 between the bottom of the housing and the partition 23 which divides the space below the partition 23 into two compartments 26 and 21. Intermediate the height of the compartment 23 I provide a horizontal partition 28 which divides the compartment 26 into an upper chamber 29 and a lower chamber 33.

Access into the chamber 29 is through an opening 3! in the front wall of the housing 20 which is closed by a hinged door 32 and access into the compartment 21 is through an opening 33 in the front wall of the housing which is closed by a hinged door 34.

Within the chamber space the vertical partition 22 has an opening 35 therein which is closed by a plate 35 having a plurality of horizontal upwardly inclined louvers 31 therein.

Positioned at approximately the center of the housing 28 within the chamber 30 I provide a pan 38 which is supported a predetermined distance above the bottom of the housing. Above the pan 38 the pan in the chamber 29 I provide receiving tank 39 and spaced above the receiving tank 39 I provide a measuring tank 43. The tanks 39 and 40 are shown as supported by brackets 6| mounted on the partition 25.

A pipe 42 at one end communicates with the interior of the reservoir tank 24 and at the opposite end communicates with the interior of the measuring tank 43. The pipe 42 has a shut 01f valve 43 interposed therein. Oneend of an overflow pipe 44 opens into the measuring tank 40 adjacent the top thereof and the lower end is positioned in the receiving tank 39.

Communicating with the interior of the r ceiving tank 39 through the bottom thereof I provide a vertical pipe 35 the lower end of which is positioned above the receiving tank 39. Interposed in the pipe 45 I provide a control valve 45 which includes an operating arm 41. The operating arm 4! is resiliently retained in a raised closed position by a spring 58 one end of which is connected to the arm 41 and the opposite end of which is anchored to a lug 49 on the receiving tank 39.

One end of a vertical pipe 59 communicates with the interior of the receiving tank 39 through the bottom thereof and extends through the partition 28 into the chamber 30 where the lower end is positioned to direct fluid into the pan 38. Adjacent the lower end thereof the pipe 59 has a loop therein.

A vertical conduit 52 extends through the bottom of the housing 29 into the chamber 30 directly below the pan 38. Thelower end of the conduit-52 has one end of a flexible conduit 53 connected thereto by a suitable coupling member 54 and the opposite end is connected to the exhaust conduit l8 of the truck 5.

The upper end of a verticallinkjfi is.pivotally connected to the control valve arm ,41 as at.5i and the lower end is connected to a horizontal rocker arm 58 as at 59. Intermediate the length thereof the rocker arm 58 is pivoted as at 60 to a bracket 6| on the trailer frame.

Mounted on and extending forward of the trailer frame I provide a tongue 62 which in .cludes a closedcylinder portion 63. Intermediate the length of the. cylinder 63 the tongue includes an upwardly extending boss -64. Positioned in the cylinder 63 I provide a plunger 65 :W-hich on the upper face andintermediatethe v length thereof is-recessed as at. 66. The plunger 65 includes a reducedstem portion-ST which ex- ;tends out;t-hrough an aperture68 in the forward end of thecylinder 63 and is horizontally pivot- ,ally.connected as at 69 to adrawbar 19 of .the truck .l5. Surrounding the stem 81 between the plunger-.65 andthe forward end of the cylinder 63 .I providea coiled spring-1i and between the rear endof the cylinderand the plunger I provide a coiled spring 12. The springs H and 12 are adapted -to .normally :resiliently retain -.the plungeri55 intermediate the length. of the cylin- ,der 63. The boss 64 and .the cylinder have an aperture 13 therein in which a verticalrod 1,4 is positioned. The lowerend of the rod 14 is positioned in the recessed portion 66 v of the-plunger 6.5 .and the upper 'end is slackly connected as at to the rocker arm 58.

When the truck ['5 moves forward the draw bar 19 pulls thestem .61 forward-which in turn .pulls the p1 nger.65-,forward against theaction ,of the spring II and thereafter the trailer [2 moves forward with the truck. -As .the plunger .65 .is thus movedit forces the rod ,14 upwardly .therebyswinging the forward end of -the.rocker arm .58 upwardly and the rearend downwardly thereby pulling the link .56 downwardly which in turn .swings the valve arm 4'! downwardly against theactionof the spring .48 .to-a position to open the valve .46.

Whenthe truck 15 .and trailer l2 go downhill andthe inertia of the trailer overcomes the pull rol .the draw barthe plunger 65 is moved rear.- .wardlyinjthe cylinder .63.against the action of the rear spring 12. As the plunger moves rearwardly it raises the rod 1.4 and actuates the valve 48 to-an open position in the same-manner as when the draw-bar acts to .tow the trailer.

Jior opening the valve .45 manually I provide a hand lever 16 which adjacent one. end is pivotally connected as at 11 to ,a bracket 18 on the rear .wall of the housing 28. Intermediatethe length thereof the hand- ;lever 16 has the upperend of a verticallink I9 pivotally connected thereto as at;8.9. The lower portion 0f the link E9 is slackly connectedas at,8| to the rocker arm .58 inter.- .mediate the pivot 69 and the rod 1,4. Normally the hand lever 15 is in a horizontal position as .the partition 22.

shown in Fig. 6 and the rocker arm 58 is free to swing on its pivot without disturbing the link 19 or the hand lever. To manually open the valve 46 an operator swings the hand lever 16 upwardly thereby moving the link 19 upwardly which in turn swings the front end of the rocker arm 58 upwardly and the rear end downwardly thereby moving the link 55 downwardly which in turn swings the valve arm 41 downwardly to actuate the valve 46 to an open position. When the arm 19 is raised it is moved against the front wall of the housing and the pivot 89 is then moved beyond the pivot 11 in which position it will remain until manually moved to a down position.

Positioned in the compartment 21 I provide a hand operated spray gun 82 which is shown as supported by end brackets 83 and a center bracket 84 -mounted on the partition 22. The spray gun 82 may be of any standard design including a fluid supply tank 85 and an air cylinder 85 having aplunger therein adapted to :be reciprocated by a handlemember 81. Thenozzle :portion .86 of the air cylinder 851s directed towards The upper end of a pipex88 communicates with the interior-of the tank compartment 24 and the lower end communicates with the interior of :the spray .guntank'85. -.'I'he pipe .88 has a shut off valve89 interposed therein to control passage therethrough.

Coaxial with the air cylinder 86 ,I;provide;an enlarged aperture 99 in the partition 22 (see-Fig. 7). Surroundingthe aperture 99 Iprovide ahollow frustro-conical member 9| the large end of which engages the face of the partition 22.in:the compartment 2! and the smallend of whichrsnrrounds the nozzle portion 85' of the air --cylinder 85.

Adjacent the rear of the housing 20 I provide an outlet conduit 92 one end of which opens into the housing 29 through the bottom thereof :(see Fig. 8). The conduit 92 extends downwardly and is then curved upwardly with the ,free. end thereof directed towards the bottom of the housing 29. Within the conduit 92adjacent the 'free .end thereof I provide a bracket 93 which supports a vertical pin 94 having an enlarged head 95 thereon. Positioned on the free end of the-conduit 92 I provide a disc 95 which is suitably apertured to receive the pin94 and is freely movable on the pin 94.

In operation the tank compartment 24 is filled with a suitable liquid insecticide. When it isdesired to move pickers equipment such asiladders, picking bags, clippers, etc. ;from one grove to another the rear doors 2! of the housing 29 are opened and the equipment placed within the housing and the doors closed. The operator then opens the front door 32 and opens ,the valve 43 to allow insecticide from the tank 24 to run into the measuring tank 40. The operator fills the tank 49 until the insecticide overflows through the overflow pipe 44 whereupon he closes the valve 43 and then closes the door 32. The operator may, if hethinks itlnecessary, open the door 34 and open the valve 89 to allow a quantity of insecticide to flow from the tank 24 into the air gun tank 85 and then close the valve 89. Thereafter by reciprocating the air gun handle 81 the operator sprays a quantity of insecticide into the housing whereafter the operator closes the door into the conduit 52. The conduit 52 directs the exhaust gases against the bottom of the pan 38 which after striking the pan 38 pass out of the chamber 30 through the louvers 31 into the housing 20. When the truck proceeds forward the draw bar 10 opens the valve 46 in the manner previously described. When the valve 46 opens the insecticide in the measuring tank 40 passes downwardly through the pipe 45 and drips therefrom into the receiver tank 39 whence it flows downwardly through the pipe 59 into the pan 38. The hot exhaust gases striking the bottom of the pan 38 heat and vaporize the insecticide therein which then mixes with the exhaust gases and is carried into the housing 20.

The disc 95 on the end of the outlet conduit 92 causes a slight pressure to be built up within the housing until the pressure therein is sufiicient to lift the disc whereupon some of the gases within the housing pass therefrom through the outlet conduit 92. Any equipment in the housing 20 is thoroughly saturated with the mixture of hot exhaust gases and the insecticide fumes which kill any insects or pests that may be on the equipment.

If the distance from one grove to the second is short, the operator upon arriving at the second grove leaves the engine I running and if the draw bar has allowed the plunger 65 to return to a neutral position, the operator raises the hand lever 16 to reopen the valve 46 as previously described. After all the insecticide in the measuring tank 40 has been used the operator swings the hand lever 76 downwardly to close the valve 45 and then shuts oiT the engine l5. Thereafter the rear doors 2| are opened and the picking equipment removed from the housing 20.

As an insecticide I prefer to use carbon tetrachloride which has good insecticidal properties and which is non-explosive so that it prevents explosions within the sterilizing chamber which might result from explosive gases in the products of combustion.

The picln'ng equipment having been thoroughly fumigated while being transported from one grove i to another any danger of transporting harmful insects and pests from the first to the second grove is eliminated.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provided a novel fumigating apparatus which is simple in construction and highly efficient in use.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a wheeled trailer member adapted to be towed by a vehicle, a fumigating apparatus on said trailer, said apparatus including a closed housing member, a chamber, means to aiTord communication between said chamber and the interior of said housing, valve means to direct insecticide into said chamber, means to direct exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine into said chamber, a drawbar, means connecting the drawbar to the trailer, a control for said valve means, link means operated by the drawbar connecting means and means operated by the link means for actuating the valve means.

2. The combination of a vehicle unit comprising a truck propelled by an internal combustion engine and a trailer, a fumigating apparatus on the trailer, said fumigating apparatus including a closed housing member, a liquid supply tank, a chamber, means to afford communication between the chamber and the interior of said housing, a receptacle in said chamber, conduit means to direct fluid from said tank into said receptacle, valve means to control passage through said conduit, means to normally retain said valve means in a position to restrict passage through said conduit, means to direct exhaust gases from the internal combustion engine into said chamber and against the receptacle, a drawbar on said truck, a plunger on said trailer, said plunger including a portion engaged by the drawbar to pull the trailer and means connecting the plunger and the valve means to operate the latter.

3. The combination of a vehicle unit comprising a truck propelled by an internal combustion engine and a trailer and a fumigating apparatus mounted on said unit,said apparatus including a closed housing member, a liquid sup-ply tank, a chamber, means to afford communication between said chamber and the interior of said housing, a receptacle supported in said chamber, conduit means to direct fluid from said tank into said receptacle, means to direct exhaust gases from the internal combustion engine against the receptacle, valve means to control passage through said conduit, means to normally retain said valve means in a position to restrict passage through said conduit, a drawbar on said truck, a plunger on said trailer, said plunger including a portion engaged by the drawbar to pull the trailer, and means connecting the plunger and the valve means to operate the latter.

CHARLES B. COOK. 

